Process of separating metallic impurities from graphite



(Specimens.) l

PROCESS OF SEPARAT-ING METALLIC IMPURIIIES PROM GRAPHITE. No.'429,386v. Patented June 3, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MYRON W. PARRISH, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE GRAPHITE ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE, AND JOHN HUTCHINSON, OF JACK- SON, MICHIGAN.

PROCESS 0F SEPARATING METALLIC IMPURITIES FROM GRAPHITE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,386, dated June 3, 1890.

Application filed December 2, 1889. Serial No. 332,234. (Specimens.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, MYRON W. PARRISH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of IVayue, State of Michigan,

5 have invented a new and useful Method of Subtracting the Metal Elements from Graphite, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to subtract the iron or other metal elements from graph'- ro ite by electricity. I

I'have discovered that I can subtract the metal elements from graphite by employing the' graphite in au electric battery in lieu of the ordinary carbon stick and using common r 5 salt and water as the solution in the battery. Common moist salt may be employed, or any other elements suitable; but I find the best results are attained from water and common salt. I also find that the desired result is zo produced in less time'by passing the electric current directly through the graphite.

In the drawings forming a -part of this specification, Figure l is a sectional elevation of the battery and showing the circuit-Wires,

2|; and Fig. 2 is the same with armature in said circuit.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, A is the jar or vessel containingthe coinmon salt and water E. The zinc element is 3o shown at C and the graphite at B in its crude state, as when taken from the mines. The prevailing metal element in the crude graphite when taken from the mines is iron, although it may contain other metals of which 3 5 it is desired to free the graphite. At a a are the circuit-wires.

The circuit may be closed, as in Fig. l, or there may be an armature in the circuit, which the signal-bell D will serve to illustrate. The latter plan is preferable, because 4o the metal is subtracted or consumed in less time when the current is disturbed. As the graphite is a conductor of the electric current, I am enabled to pass the current through the graphite by attaching one end of the Wire 4 5 a. to one end of said-graphite and attaching the other end of the said wire t'o the circuitwire a, as shown in the drawings.

Any number of pieces ofgraphite may be treated at o nce by connecting each with the 5o other b'y wires, and, in fact, it is the design to thustreat several pieces of the graphite at a time for the purpose of subtracting the 1n etal elements from them preparatory to their being pulverized and manufactured into mar- 5 5 ketable carbon. Then the graphite is thus freed of the metal,it is in somewhat of a porous condition, and can be treated at a much less expense by the manufacturers of carbon.

I-Iaving thus described myfinvention, What 6o I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The process of subtracting the metal clement from crude graphite, which process con- MYRoN w. PAEEISH.

Witnesses:

HoMEE A. PAREIsH, BELLE FREEMAN.

sists in einploying'the graphite as one of the 5 I 

